The new North-west. [volume] (Deer Lodge, Mont.) 1869-1897, 1887-08-05
DEER LODGE MONTANA AUGUST B. 1887. WHOLE

lC was just about the same time of the year
afstt the same hour OF the afternoon as when
tlrst saw Julia that walked into the old
school grounds. | had fully intended to go
~ next door and call for her, but my courage
failed me- / had heard nothing of her for
Years. Was she dead? Was she living?
&as she in her old home, or far away?
These thoughts chased each other through
my mind and dreaded to know. f
II was standing at the school entrance with
M hand OH the bell when l heard door in
TIRE next house open and then shut From
That moment / could feel that Julia was near
me. She came out of the house, a slender,
graceful girl of 10, and picking up croquet
llallet commenced to knock the balls about
4 approached the fence. wanted to make
myself known, but dreaded the horror with
which she would regard me when she knew
who was.
beg pardon, I said, raising my bat, acan
you tell me il DIR. Howards school is still
thereF' pointing to the house
"Dr. Howard moved some years ago." she
said, regarding me with the old honest gaze.
II was one OF his boys" s......
"Indeedw she said, but without any further
encouragement for me to go on
u see the wood has not been cut away" I
added, glancing toward it,
"No," she said, "it does not seem to ben
"Were you ever there {" "Oh, yes, cften."
"And is that old dam still across the river?"
II believe it is"
"Were you ever ON the dam?" She looked
at me curiously. ID ss
"Once," she said, "when l was child,
met with al accident there"
"How was that?'
Il went to the dam with boy, one of the
scholars, and we walked out to where the
water was flowing over, and fell in."
"The boy over persuaded you, suppose"
1t was difficult for me to conceal certain
trepidation at the mention of my fault.
"No, went of my own accord"
My heart almost stopped beating.
HE must certainly have been to blame"
said "He was older and stronger than you.
| noticed a slight rising Irritation. son
the contrary" she said "he jumped after me
like noble boy, as he was" als
was obliged to turn away. could not
trust myself to look into her face. ...s..-
SAT any rate he must have begged your
forgiveness ON his bended knees for permit
ting you to go into such danger"
Il never saw him again; he went away,"
fancied, at least hoped, could detect a
tinge of sadness in her voice.
II have often wished, y she went on, "that he
would come back as the other scholars some
times do, as you are now, and let me tell him
how much thank him for his noble effort"
Julia" said, suddenly turning and fac
ing her, "this is too much. am that boy /
led you into the wood. forced you to 90
ont on the dam with me- permitted you to
fall in" E .... l..
"And more than atoned for all by risking
your life to save mel"
Ali, that look of surprised delight which
accompanied her words! 1t was worth ell
my past years of suffering, of fancied blame:
for in it read how dearly she held the
memory of the boy who had at least shared
the danger for which he was responsible.
do not remembe, if she grasped my hand
or grasped hers. At any rate wa stood
hand in hand looking into each others faces.
| blessed the Providence that ended my
punishment; blessed the good fortune that
had led me to a knowledge of the kindly
heart beside me- OF all the moments of my
life still count it far the happiest
a#* -..
We did not part after that for another ten
years. Then SHE left me to go whence can
never recall her. Yet there is trysting place
in the woods through which we once passed
as children, and often afterwards as lovers
There l watch the flecked sunlight and mark
tile silence And it seems to me that I can
shear it be STILL" More than that know the
pure soul looks at me through the honest eyes
f. II. DUDLEY.